Mechanism for controlling knitting needles in plating operations



16, 1930. J. LAWSON ET AL MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING KNITTING NEEDLES IN PLATING OPERATIONS Original Filed March 10, 1927 Izwezafizrs:

cIomLazvaon Roberiflllamson Patented Dec. 16, 1930 BATENT- OFFICE UNITED STATES JOHN LAWSON AND ROBERT E. LAWSON, 0F PAWTUCKET, RI EIODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS TO HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAN MASSACHUSETTS A CORPORATION OF MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING KNITTING NEEDLES IN PLATING OPERATIONS Original application filed March 10, 1927, Serial No. 174,176. Divided and this application filed March 28, 1929. Serial No. 349,360.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 174,176, filed March 10, 1927, now Patent No. 1,720,649, dated July 9, 1929.

This invention relates'to mechanism for controlling knitting needles in plating operation and particularly to means for moving outwardly predetermined needles when normal plating is to occur thereat.

In order that the principle of the inven tion may be readily understood, wehave disclosed a single embodiment of the invention whereby the same may be practised.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the sinker or web holder bed ring and showing in horizontal section the cams of the sinker cam ring, the top'plate of said ring being removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon, the needle being shown in its inner position;

Fig. 3 is a detail in plan of the sinker ring and certain parts in the grooves thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the instrumentalities employed with the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2.

In the patent to Robert H. Lawson, No. 1,605,895, dated November 2, 1926, reissued April 5, 1927, No. 16,584, there are disclosed means for effecting reverse plating by the action of casting ofl' mechanism, whereby lengthwise extendin stripes may be formed in hosiery or other initted fabrics. In the patent to Robert H. Lawson, No. 1,605,896, dated November 2, 1926, there are disclosed means for effecting reverse plating through the action of casting o-fl' 'mechanism, the

ers or sinkers indicated at 3 in the several figures, and also for receiving the special instrumentalities indicated at 4 in said figures. The sinker cam ring, the top plate whereof has been removed from Fig. 1, but which is indicated at 5 in Fig. 2, is equipped with a series of cams for providing dilferent path- Ways, inthe inner one 6 whereof the regular web holders are guided by their butts 7 and in the two outer ones 8, 9, whereof the special instrumentalities 4 are guided by their butts 10 depending upon-whether normal or reverse plating is bein effected. For reverse plating upon the nee le corresponding to any specified special instrumentality, the butt 10 of that special instrumentality is in the innermost groove 8 of said two outer pathways and for normal plating the butt 10 of that special instrumentality is in the outer pathway 9. Between the two pathways 8, 9 is a cam 11 of general segmental form and between the pathways 6 and 8 is a cam 12 also of general segmental form. The said cams 11 and 12 are sufliciently spaced from each other to receive the butt 10 of a special instrumentality when the same has been directed Y thereinto in any suitable manner, as, for example, by selective means such as shown in the Lawson Patent No. 1,605,896. It will be noted that the special instrumentalities 4 are of greater length than the regular sinkers or web hold-ers 3 and also that the outer ends or butts 10 of the special instrumentalities 4 are thickened as clearly shown in Fig. 4, so as to occupy the entire width of each groove 2. The segmental cam 11 is provided with an inwardly sloping or inwardly extending end part 14, the purpose of which is to move the special instrumentality radially inward at an earlier point circumferentially considered, or in' other words at an earlier point in the stitch forming operation, than the regular web holders are moved inward at or near the casting off point. The purpose of this action is substantially that described in said Lawson Patent No. 1,605,895, Reissue No. 16,584, dated April 5, 1927. Slightly circumferentially beyond the point where the special instrumentalities are so moved inward (that is, to the left cam 12 is sloped inwardly as indicated at 15,

such slope" terminating at i a point 15 circumferentially beyond which the edge of the cam 12 slopes again outwardly as indicated at 17. The purpose of the slope 15 up to the point 16 is to force the regular web holders inwardly in the regular stitch forming operation.

At an earlier point circumferentially considered than the inwardly extending part 14, the cam 11 is provided at its outer edge with an enlargement or radially thickened cam of substantial circumferential extent indicated at 18 in Fig. 1. The purpose of this enlargement is to cause each special instrumentality 4 acted on thereby to be moved slightly further outwardly by engagement with the butt 10 thereof.

Assuming that the mechanism is used with that type of selective means shown in the Lawson Patent No. 1,605,896, the butts 10 of those special instrumentalities '4 which are selected for reverse-plating, ride in the pathway 8, the other special instrumentalities (being those at which normal plating is to be effected) remaining in the outermost pathway 9. In the continued movement of the parts the said selected special instrumentalities 4 are projected inward by the inclined edge 14 and very shortly thereafter the regular web holders or sinkers 3, whose butts 7 ride in the inner pathway 6 are also projected inward. The foregoing constitutes one type of primary means for efiecting normal and reverse plating at desired needles. a

In accordance with out invention we provide improved means for eflecting in and.

out movements of the needle, and particularly for moving outward those needles upon which normal plating is to be efiected. It is to be understood that the needle movement may be employed with mechanism for producing normal platin without producing reverse lating. An lmportant urpose achieved y moving needles outward as described is to insure a very sharp line of demarcation between normal and reverse plating areas, that is, when changing from reverse plating to normal plating. We have shown the needle movement in connection with means for efiecting either normal platmg or reverse plating, it being understood that when the needle is in its outer position, normal plating is to be eflected thereon.

The regular sinker or web holder 3 may be of any usual sha and requires no further description. be special instrumentality may in this case be of an iorm that is adapted or efiecting normal p ating and reverse plating depending upon the transverse position of said instrumentality with respect to the needle series. In Figs. 2 and 3, t e specialinstrumentality 4 is provided with an upright forward face or edge 19 which, when the said instrumentality is pro ected radially inward, effects thread engagement as fully described in said Lawson Patent No.

1,605,896, so that reverse plating is efi'ected. In this case the special instrumentality 4 is also provided with a hump 20 which functions only in normal plating and is intended to engage and momentarily to separate the two threads in a manner not necessary more fully to describe. One of the needles is indicated at 21. It is positioned in the usual groove 22 in the needle cylinder 23, being provided with a butt 24" and being hel against the bottom of the groove 22 by the usual surrounding spring band or bands 25.

Each needle groove 22 is inwardly deepened for a considerable extent at its upper end as indicated at 29 in Fig. 2. Within said deepened part of the needle groove at the back of the needle is provided a jack or element 30 engaging the back of the needle as clearly shown in Fi .4 and having a bent upper end 31 exten g into a notch 32 in the lower edge of the special instrumientab ity 4.

When that point in the operation is reached where the edge 18 imparts a slight outward movement to a special instrumentality 4, the said edge 18 acts to cause the edge of the notch 32 to move the jack or element 30 by reason of the engagement of said edge of the notch 32 with the bent end 31 of the ack or element 30. This results in swinging the needle 21 outward, flexing or rocking the same from its lower end against the tension of the spring band or hands 25 to a slight extent. As soon as the edge 18 has been passed by the butt end of the instrumentality 4, the spring band 25 causes the return of the needle 21 to the position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the two threads are fed in a plating relation preferably in the manner disclosed inthe patents to Robert H. Lawson, Reissue No. 16,584 and No. 1,605,896, to which patents reference is made for a fuller description of means tofeed two yarns in a plating relation. If the hump 20 e employed, the two. threads may be fed without substantial difference in tension thereon, though for purposes of general description it may be assumed that the greater -tens1on 1s imparted to one of the threads than the other, and desirably to the thread that is fed the lower, all as described in the.

said reissue patent to Lawson, No. 16,584.

While we have shown a re lar web holder and a special instrumelita 'ty in the same groove, our invention is not limited thereto,

since the needle movement may be em loyed whether or .not a regular web holder is employed as a special instrumentality.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be under-- stood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

lVe claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of i nstrumentalities one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, each of said instrumentalities being recessed and a jack or element in the groove of the corresponding needle at the back of the latter and engaging said recess whereby outward movement of said instrumentality causes outward movement of the correspondingkneedle by reason of movement of said Jac 4 2. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, the needle grooves being deepened at their upper parts, a series of jacks positioned in said deeper part at the back of the needles and interengaging formations upon said jacks and the respective instrumentalities.

3. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities for selected needles and movable in and out in knitting relation, each of said instrumentalities having a jack engaging formation, and a jack or element positioned in the groove of the corresponding needle at the back thereof and engaging said formation, whereby outward movement of said instrumentality causes outward movement of the corresponding needle by reason of movement of said jack.

4. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, primary means for effecting normal and reverse plating at desired needles and including special instrumentalities positioned between certain needles and movable in and out in knitting relation, each of said instrumentalities having a jack engaging forma tion and a jack or element positloned in the groove of the corresponding needle at the ack thereof and engaging said formation, whereby outward movement of said instrumentality causes outward movement of the corresponding needle by reason of the movement of said Jack.

5. In a machine havin a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a

series of instrumentalities one for each needle movable in and out in knittin relation, jacks 30 positioned len hwise 1n the respective needle grooves at t e back of the needles therein, said instrumentalities and said jacks 30 having interengaging formations whereby the said jacks may be moved by said instrumentalities to deflect the needles.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a circular series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of radially positioned instrumentalities, one for each needle movable in and out in knitting relation, a series of jacks 30 positioned lengthwise in the needle groove respectively at the backs of the needles, said instrumentalities and jacks being adapted for interengagement, whereby the needles may be moved transversely of their grooves by engagement of the instrumentalities with the'jacks and resulting movement of the jacks.

In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of sinker-like instrumentalities radially movable between the needles, and a series of jacks 30 lengthwise positioned in the needle grooves at the backs of the needles, said sinker-like instrumentalities and said jacks having interengaging formations whereby said jacks may be flexed outwardly to compel outward flexing of the needles.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

JOHN LAWSON. ROBERT H. LAWSON. 

